In memory of our friend and colleague, Ho, who loved his work and helped everyone see the joyful things in life.
The present invention relates to a composition and method for protecting both natural and artificial hair color from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation and other environmental insults. The composition includes melanin, an ultraviolet absorber, and a cationic surfactant.
The market for hair coloring products is one of the fastest growing markets in the hair care industry today. Human hair fibers are subject to continuous environmental insults including ultraviolet (UV) light. Exposure to UV-B radiation causes the disulfide bonds to photodegrade, resulting in a loss of tensile strength, an increase in the porosity of the hair, and roughening of the cuticle. While UV-B rays damage the cuticle area, UV-A radiation goes deep inside the hair to damage the cortex. One indication of such damage is the disappearance of natural melanin which provides color to the hair. As a result, there is a need for a product that protects artificial, as well as natural hair color.
It has been suggested that melanin and certain benzotriazoles play photoprotective roles (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,806,344 and 4,668,235), and that quaternary ammonium compounds have UV-absorbing properties (U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,811). While each of these products, individually, may address some of the problems resulting from environmental insults, there is still a need for an effective hair care protectant. The composition of the present invention addresses that need by providing a composition that is believed to have a beneficial protective effect that is greater than the effects of its individual components.